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In Brooklyn for the 8th year, Renegade Craft Fair (RCF) set up tent by the foodie stalls of Smorgasburg and the trash ‘n treasure finds of Brooklyn Flea this weekend.

Instead of scrolling through beautiful artisan wares on one of my forever favourite websites, etsy.com, I strolled by dozens of stallfronts selling innovative handmade products… live.

Usually held at McCarren Park, this was the first time the RCF was held by the East River. With a front row water facing view of the Manhattan skyline, this *new* location is genius. Over both sun drenched days, the event attracted many summer lovin’ DIY inspired New Yorkers. Such is the appeal of Williamsburg; a dose of collaborative craftiness injects the ‘hood with excellent added-value.

An event I highly recommend, even if it’s simply for inspiration and ‘stallfront shopping,’ RCF weaves its way around the US and UK throughout the summer, and into fall.

The Renegade Craft Fair differs from traditional arts and craft fairs by focusing on DIY and indie-craft culture. Each individual fair is juried by our Chicago-based staff from hundreds of applications to purposefully feature a curated, eclectic array of young and emergent designers producing original and handmade goods in a wide variety of media.

We feature artists creating innovative work using traditional craft methods, but not based on preexisting patterns or products.*

Take note: At the end of this post are some dates for residents, or for fortunate travel hoppers, of LAX, SFO, ORD, and LON – the fair is coming to a location near you.

This weekend New York City was graced with overcast skies, the rumbling of thunderstorms, humid temperatures, a little bit of a downpour, welcome breezes, and the intermittent bright rays of the sun.

Being Memorial weekend and pretty good weather for it, the crowds descended on Williamsburg to enjoy its wide open spaces, good food, and vintage shopping. I’m not sure what happened to the stalls when the rain came down at 4 on Saturday – I was indoors by then – though I’m sure the ‘burgers had a good time under it.

It’s a nice feeling, being outdoors so much during these warmer months… though I could do without the sticky humidity.

Happy day everyone!

Patriotism.

Loaves resting in the New Warsaw Bakery.

Plush pink roses.

Brunch at Lokal on Nassau Avenue.

A red balloon.

A dreamcatcher?

Beautiful butterfly ~ a symbol of long life.

Williamsburg and neighbouring Greenpoint are a hub for industrial activity.

Remember Vans, the sneakers?

A painted reality.

Manhattan through chain link fencing.

The Cuban sandwiches and yuca fries from Cubana Social are excellent as is the coffee to go.

Fall is definitely upon us in New York, and I am enjoying it a lot more than I had thought. (Remember, this is coming from an Aussie, who grew up in two types of weather – hot and cold. Now faced with four distinct seasons, I welcome the beauty of the changing landscape, but cannot get used to the snow!) The trees are so beautiful at this time of year, with their leaves turning from green to gold to red, then orangey yellow. The chilly weather is cut with a dash of sun. The current trend on Williamsburg’s streets calls for: hats, boots (of course), army jackets, and skinny jeans.

The leaves have changed colour, and in between the branches – a bird’s nest.

Fall in North Williamsburg is really pleasant. Taxis hardly honk, crowds subside, and cool boutiques display fuzzy fashions. Also, the lines for lunch are shorter. Falls also means that there are only a few Saturdays left to enjoy Smorgasburg, an open air market made up of about 100 stalls selling food and homemade goods. Today the market was set up and bustling, serving everything from oysters to smoked short ribs. (Ok, the latter had a long line but it is comfort food after all). If you miss Smorgasburg, which ends November 19, don’t worry because the Manhattan view is always here to enjoy. Tables are available for picnics in the East River Park. Location: Kent Ave and N.6th Street. Easily accessible by the L subway (Bedford Avenue stop) or the East River Ferry from 34th Street.

Smorgasburg against Manhattan’s skyline

Bedford Avenue is usually pretty busy. Today, plenty of people were enjoying the afternoon sun with a cup of coffee or glass of wine on outdoor terraces. The sidewalk stalls are still set up too, selling their used books and vintage vinyl.

Brooklyn Industries on Bedford Avenue. This was the site of their first store ever.

Sunflowers from the local deli

Bikes, bikes, bikes

Find whatever cheese your heart desires at The Bedford Cheese Shop

And of course, I photographed more street art. Just scroll/arrow through if you stumble upon any of the other images already seen in this post. Happy Saturday! x